First systematic inventory of soft corals on Barrier Reef

The expedition marks the first census of soft corals, named octocorals for the eight tentacles that fringe each polyp. Researchers believe between one-third to half of the hundreds of soft corals found are species new to science.

While the colorful animals are not reef builders, they dominate some areas studied, covering up to 25 per cent of the ocean floor. They also provide important habitat for other species. The addition of perhaps as many as 150 new species to the global inventory of soft corals is a major addition to the knowledge of this group which, despite its high distribution worldwide, remains one of the most poorly understood groups. Despite the large number of new species already discovered, Dr. Caley believes as many new species again may be found on future expeditions. DNA barcoding will dramatically
expedite the identification of these species in future, he adds.